This invention relates to therapeutic methods and compositions for the treatment of the cellular membrane magnesium binding defect, a defect associated with certain abnormal physiological states, e.g., sodium-sensitive essential hypertension and Type 2 insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus.
The applicant discovered, by studying essential, or primary, hypertension in humans and in two strains of rats with genetic hypertension, that a specific metabolic defect is critically involved with the occurrence of so-called xe2x80x9csalt-sensitivexe2x80x9d, i.e. sodium ion sensitive, hypertension. This defect is the decreased binding of the magnesium ion (i.e., Mg2+) within the plasma membranes of somatic cells, in particular smooth muscle cells.
As a direct consequence of this defect, intracellular concentrations of the magnesium ion, decrease while those of the sodium ion (i.e., Na+) tend to increase due ostensibly to the increased passive permeability of the cell membranes for the latter ion. If the mammal""s ability to remove the excess Na+ from the intracellular compartment is also compromised, then, as a consequence, the intracellular concentration of calcium ion (i.e. Ca2+) also increases and causes, in particular, the heightened contractility of the smooth muscle cells lining the peripheral blood vessels.
The contraction of these cells causes the lumens of these vessels to decrease and consequently the resistance to blood flow increases. To overcome this increased resistance, and thereby to maintain the requisite blood flow, the heart contracts more strongly, causing the pressure in the arteries to increase. This abnormal, increased blood pressure is recognized clinically as hypertension. Since this result stems directly from the seemingly increased passive permeability of the cell membrane to sodium ion, the hypertension is classified as being xe2x80x9csodium sensitivexe2x80x9d and occurs in approximately 50 per cent of the essential hypertensive population which comprises about 25 percent of the population of the United States.
One general treatment proposed for the control of the blood pressure in essential hypertensive patients is the restriction of their dietary intake of salt (i.e., NaCl), the major source of sodium ion for the body. This measure is somewhat beneficial if the hypertension is salt-sensitive. However, if the hypertension is xe2x80x9csalt-insensitivexe2x80x9d, the restriction of the salt content of the diet has no therapeutic value aside from the frequently observed, concomitant reduction of food intake, and may actually worsen the hypertension.
The applicant also demonstrated that the magnesium binding defect is caused by the lack, or at least the decreased concentration, of a component of normal blood plasma. When erythrocytes from either salt-sensitive, essential hypertensive humans or rats are incubated with blood plasma from analogous normotensive subjects, the magnesium binding defect in the plasma membranes of these cells is corrected and the abnormal concentrations of intracellular ions are normalized. The effective components of normal blood plasma are identified as the pentapeptide and its contained tetrapeptide which comprise the C-terminal region of the tachykinin known as xe2x80x9cSubstance Pxe2x80x9d, the first mammalian produced tachykinin to be isolated and identified. It is composed of eleven amino acids joined by peptide linkages in the following sequence. Sequence No. 1: Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. The derived pentapeptide and its contained tetrapeptide which correct the magnesium-binding defect have the following amino acid sequences, respectively. Sequence No. 2: Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2; Sequence No. 3: Phe-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2. The applicant obtained evidence to indicate that the xe2x80x9cgeneral amino acid sequencexe2x80x9d at the C-terminal region of mammalian-produced tachykinins is: Sequence No. 4, Phe-X(Phe, Val)-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2, which comprises those pentapeptides and tetrapeptides occurring in mammalian blood plasmas that are derived from the tackykinins. The applicant has observed that they prevent the occurrence of the magnesium-binding defect in plasma membranes of somatic cells and also has demonstrated their in vivo effectiveness in correcting this defect in rats and the associated, salt-sensitive, essential hypertension.
The occurrence of the magnesium-binding defect in erythrocyte membranes also antagonizes, or xe2x80x9cresistsxe2x80x9d, the effect of insulin to promote the uptake of magnesium by these cells. The applicant has examined the erythrocytes from a number of patients with xe2x80x9cadult onsetxe2x80x9d or Type 2 diabetes mellitus and has found the magnesium-binding defect to occur with a frequency greater than 90%. Thus, the magnesium-binding defect is a significant contributor to the causation of xe2x80x9cinsulin resistancexe2x80x9d, which in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus is, in most cases, considered to be the initiating cause of their diabetes.
The combination of the relationships of the magnesium-binding defect to salt-sensitive, essential hypertension, and to the characteristic insulin resistance of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggests a possible critical relationship of this defect with the occurrence of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia since salt-sensitive hypertension, insulin resistance, and overt diabetes mellius are among the prominent clinical features of these two life-threatening, physiological abnormalities of human pregnancy.
The pentapeptides and tetrapeptides discussed above occur in normal blood plasma and are believed to be derived in vivo by enzymatic degradation of the tachykinins produced by nerve tissue, as well as by other tissues. Their quantitation in blood plasma could provide useful information for the diagnosis of those pathological states with which the magnesium-binding defect is critically associated.
Ostensibily, these substances also are believed to be highly specific, naturally occuring therapeutic agents in contrast to the relatively non-specific therapeutic substances presently available for the treatment of abnormal physiological states such as salt-sensitive, essential hypertension. However, they are peptides and, as such, are generally observed to be metabolically unstable, and therefore are subject to the restricted routes of administration necessary for this class of substances. Consequently, this invention concerns the compositions and pharmacological applications of a new class of biologically stable, monopeptide compounds which are derived from butadienes, ethylenes, and propanes, which can be utilized to treat and/or to prevent those abnormal physiological states with which the magnesium-binding defect is critically associated.
This invention is a class of compounds represented by the Formula below (as well as their pharmaceutical acceptable salts) and therapeutic methods using such compounds for the treatment or prevention in mammals of physiological disorders which are associated with a deficiency of magnesium ion bound to the plasma membranes of their somatic cells.
Compounds of this invention include those of the Formula 
wherein:
R1, R2 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C2 alkyl;
R3 and R4 are selected from C2-C8 alkyl;
R6 is selected from H or the L-isomer (amino acid convention) of R7xe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94HC(NH2)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94;
wherein
n is an integer from 0 to 3;
R7 is selected from the group consisting of C3-C6 alkyl or aryl (unsubstituted or mono substituted with hydroxy, halo, amino, nitro, methyl or acetoxy), wherein said aryl is independently selected in each instance from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, furanyl, pyrrolyl, thiophenyl, pyridinyl, indolyl, benzofuranyl, benzothiophenyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, imidazolyl, thiazolyl, pyrazinyl, primidinyl, purinyl, and pteridinyl; and
X is independently selected from the group consisting of trans,trans  greater than Cxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94HCxe2x95x90C less than , trans  greater than Cxe2x95x90C less than , and  less than C*Hxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94HC* less than  where C* is a chiral center and R3 and R4 are oriented L- and D-(amino acid convention) at these respective chiral centers, and where m=0, 1 or 2. This invention also includes pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates or prodrugs of compounds of the Formula above.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d refers to a straight or branched, monovalent, saturated aliphatic chain of carbon atoms, including normal, iso, neo or text. xe2x80x9cAlkylxe2x80x9d includes but is not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl , sec butyl, tert butyl, amyl, isoamyl, neoamyl, hexyl, isohexyl, neohexyl, heptyl, isoheptyl, neoheptyl, octyl, isooctyl, neooctyl.
Although the free-base forms of the compounds of the above Formula may be used in the methods of the present invention, it is preferred to prepare and to use a pharmaceutically acceptable salt form. Thus, the compounds used in the methods of this invention form pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts with a wide variety of organic and inorganic acids, and include the physiologically acceptable salts which are often used in pharmaceutical chemistry. Such salts are also part of this invention.
The term xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically acceptable saltxe2x80x9d as used herein, refers to salts of compounds of the above formula which are substantially non-toxic to living organisms. Typical inorganic acids used to form such salts include hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, nitric, sulfuric, phosphoric, hypophosphoric and the like. Salts derived from organic acids, such as aliphatic mono- and dicarboxylic acids, phenyl substituted alkanoic acids, hydroxyalkanoic and hydroxyalkandioic acids, aromatic acids, aliphatic and aromatic sulfonic acids, may also be used. Such pharmaceutically acceptable salts thus include acetate, phenylacetate, acrylate, ascorbate, benzoate, chlorobenzoate, dinitrobenzoate, hydroxybenzoate, methoxybenzoate, methylbenzoate, o-acetoxybenzoate, naphthalene-2-benzoate, bromide, isobutyrate, phenylbutyrate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, butyne-1,4-dioate, hexyne-1,4-dioate, caprate, caprylate, caproate, chloride, cinnamate, citrate, formate, fumarate, glycollate, heptanoate, hippurate, lactate, malate, maleate, hydroxymaleate, malonate, mandelate, mesylate, nicotinate, isonicotinate, nitrate, oxalate, phthalate, terephthalate, phosphate, monohydrogenphosphate, dihydrogenphosphate, metaphosphate, pyrophosphate, propionate, phenylpropionate, salicylate, sebacate, succinate, suberate, sulfate, bisulfate, pyrosulfate, sulfite, bisulfite, sulfonate, benzenesulfonate, p-bromophenylsulfonate, chlorobenzene-sulfonate, ethanesulfonate, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonate, methanesulfonate, naphthalene-1-sulfonate, naphthalene-2-sulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, xylenesulfonate, tartarate, and the like. A preferred salt is the chloride salt.
The pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts are typically formed by reacting a compound of the above Formula with an equimolar or an excess amount of acid. The reactants are generally combined in a mutual solvent such as diethyl ether or ethyl acetate. The salt normally precipitates out of solution within one hour to 10 days and can be isolated by filtration or the solvent can be stripped off by conventional means.
The pharmaceutically acceptable salts generally have enhanced solubility characteristics compared to the compound from which they are derived, and thus are often more amenable to formulations as liquids or emulsions.
It should be recognized that the particular counter-ion forming a part of any salt of this invention is usually not of a critical nature, so long as the salt as a whole is pharmaceutically acceptable and as long as the counter-ion does not contribute undesired qualities to the salt as a whole.
This invention further encompasses the pharmaceutically acceptable solvates of the compounds of the above Formula. Many of them can combine with solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile to form pharmaceutically acceptable solvates such as the corresponding hydrate, methanolate, ethanolate and acetonitrilate.
Preferred compounds of this invention for use with the methods described herein are those of the above Formula wherein
R1, R2 and R5 are H;
R3 and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of n-butyl, n-amyl and n-hexyl;
R6 is selected from the group consisting of L-phenylglycine and L-valine.
X is selected from the group consisting of trans,trans  greater than Cxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94HCxe2x95x90C less than , trans  greater than Cxe2x95x90C less than ,  greater than C*Hxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94C*H less than , (wherein the xe2x80x9c*xe2x80x9d represents a chiral carbon, and m=0, 1 or 2); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof.
The present invention is also a method of treating a patient with a physiological disorder critically associated with the magnesium binding defect by administering to such a patient a pharmacologically effective amount of a composition that includes a compound of the above Formula.
It will be appreciated that certain compounds of the above Formula can possess an asymmetric carbon atom(s) and are thus capable of existing as enantiomers. Unless otherwise specified, this invention includes such enantiomers, including racemates. The separate enantiomers may be synthesized from chiral starting materials, or the racemates can be resolved by procedures that are well known in the art of chemistry such as chiral chromatography, fractional crystallization of diastereometric salts and the like.
Compounds of the above Formula can also exist as geometric isomers (Z or E), the Z isomer is preferred.
The oral forms of compositions containing compounds of the above Formula are most preferred although compounds of this invention may be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions, together with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, in solid or liquid form, for rectal and topical, as well as for oral, administration.
The pharmaceutical compositions of this invention are preferably packaged in a container (e.g., a box or bottle, or both) with suitable printed material (e.g., a package insert) containing indications, directions for use, etc.
Compounds of this invention can be prepared by a variety of procedures well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The particular order of steps required to produce the compounds of the above Formula is dependent upon the particular compound being synthesized, the starting compound, and the relative lability of the intermediate moieties.
The compounds employed in this invention can be prepared by the following general schemes of reactions; the substituted trans, trans butadiene and trans ethylene structures are most preferred and, in general, are the precursors to the substituted perhydrobutadiene, perhydroethylene-based, and propane-based compounds which are also represented by the above Formula.

The foregoing may be understood better from the following examples that are presented for the purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In these examples, the individual reactions being illustrated, in (Scheme One, Two and Three), are indicated by a bracketed letter, such as for example xe2x80x9c(a)xe2x80x9d.